Heroes Among Us

Sen. Vicki Marble's ignorant comments on race and diet

Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, is under fire for comments she made Wednesday during a legislative hearing. (AAron Ontiveroz, Denver Post file)

Call it finger-lickin' stupid.

We were astonished when we heard the comments that state Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, made Wednesday during a legislative hearing on poverty. Marble decided to share her thoughts on nutrition.

"When you look at life expectancy, there are problems in the black race," Marble said. "Sickle-cell anemia is something that comes up. Diabetes is something that's prevalent in the genetic makeup, and you just can't help it.

"Although I've got to say, I've never had better barbecue and better chicken and ate better in my life than when you go down South and you, I mean, I love it. Everybody loves it."

Marble went on to say how Mexicans eat healthy until they come to the United States.

The comments stunned other lawmakers on the Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force, including state Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, who is African-American.

"I will not engage in a dialogue where you are using these stereotypical references about African-Americans and chicken and food," Fields said to Marble. "I will not tolerate that. This is not what this committee is all about. ... What we are trying to do is come up with meaningful solutions. This is not about eating chicken."

Possibly making things worse, Marble later issued a statement that, instead of saying she was sorry, proclaimed she was "saddened" her words were taken as offensive.